not hinder thy Comfort in feeding on this best and sweetest of Fruits For thy Faith though it be never so weak proves it self to be a Divine Faith by its Operation in thee First In that it empties thy Heart of all conceited Rigteousness of thine own whereby Satan and corrupt Nature would have thee to look for Life and Salvation Secondly In that it carries thee out to rest under the shadow of Christ's Mediatorial Satisfaction hoping and expecting Life and Salvation by his Merits alone Though all Mens Stomachs be not equally sharp at Table yet he that hath the least Stomach might eat to as great Satisfaction and Content as he that eats most Let thy Faith be never so weak thou wilt find by Experience that the oftener thou doest taste of this Fruit of Christ's Death and Resurrection with Application thereof to thy self crying out Believingly My dear Lord Jesus Christ who died to discharge the Debt of my sins and who rose again for my Justification the sweeter and the more delightful will it be and not only so but thy poor weak Faith will by this means gather strength day by day Thirdly And as touching those fearful Doubtings and Questionings whether thou in particular be one of those Elect for whom Christ dyed and rose again I need say no more than to assure thee that this hath been the Case of the most eminent Saints now Triumphing in Glory when in a Militant State as thou now art that Soul that was never troubled with Doubtings and Questionings about his State was never yet blest with a right saving Faith Not that these Doubtings are of the Essence of true Faith or as if thou wer 't not bound to be humbled for them before God and oblig'd to strive against them But an Argument they are that thou art acted by a twofold Principle and that the Devil is now discover'd to be thine Enemy Both which effectually proves thee to be one of those Elect for whom Christ both died and rose again Secondly The Resurrection of Christ is sweet to a a true Believer As the same is a sure and certain Pledge of his own and all other Believers being raised not only from a State of Mortality but also from a State of Imperfect Grace The Resurrection of Christ the Believers Surety is the Ground and Foundation of a Believers both rising more and more to Newness of Life And of his being raised again out of the Dust of Death to partake in the Glory of the last Resurrection Rom. 6.4 5 6. 1 Cor. 15.49.54 Phil. 3.21 Jo. 6.40 Thirdly The Resurrection of Christ is sweet to the Believer as it is an invincible Argument to prove that Christ his Surety having once dy'd and by his Glorious Resurrection overcome Death he is never more to dye so witnesseth the Holy Ghost Rom. 6.9 Knowing that Christ being raised up from the Dead dyeth no more Death hath no more Dominion over him Rev. 1.18 I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore c. The Ground hereof is the infinite Satisfaction given to his Fathers Justice for the sins of the Elect by that one Death which he underwent If it were possible for Christ to dye a thousand times over and over his dying so many Deaths could not be more Satisfactory to the Justice of God for the sins of the Elect than was that one most shameful bitter and cursed Death of the Cross which he suffer'd and underwent once for all Rom. 6.10 For in that he dyed he dyed unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God God the Father hath now no more sin to charge on him than what he stood charg'd with on the Cross when he said on his giving up the Ghost it is finished Jo. 19.30 Heb. 10.14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are Sanctified It is not in this Case as it hath been with but too many of Adam's Children and is in this very day who have been forced to pay over and over the self same Debt Such is the Baseness and Knavery of the Oppressours of the Age we live in God the Father of Christ is not such a Creditor he is a Just and a Righteous God And being so there is no Ground to fear that ever he will Twit in the Teeth either Christ his Son the Elects Surety or any poor Believer with those Sins which Christ once satisfied for This Fruit is passing sweet to that Soul who frequently feeds on it Fifthly The Glorious Ascension of Christ from Earth to Heaven is most sweet to the true Believer and it is so on a twofold Account First As it proves the compleat Conquest and Victory of Christ the Believers Head and Surety over all the Enemies of God's Elect of whom it was spoken by way of Prediction Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led Captivity captive c. Psal 68.18 These things are Prophetically spoken of Christ by way of Allusion or Comparison and which are by the Apostle Paul apply'd to Christ's Glorious Ascension Ephes 4.8 The Metaphor is taken from earthly Kings and mighty Potentates who when they had got the Victory over their Enemies us'd to bind to their Chariot Wheels the Chief of the Enemies dragging them along in Triumph Thus did the Lord Jesus the Surety of Gods Elect when he Ascended to Heaven he led Devil Sin Curse of the Law World Death Grave and Hell Captives so that they can never more slave or insult over any of God's Elect this is intended by Christ in Jo. 16.33 In me ye shall have Peace in the World ye shall have Tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the World And the same is intended by Paul in Colos 2.15 And having spoiled Principalities and Powers he made a shew of them openly Triumphing over them in it This also is intended in Rev. 1.18 I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I live for evermore and have the Keys of hell and of death The term Keys denotes the universal Power which Christ by dying Atchieved over all the Enemies of his Redeemed ones Christ's Ascension from Earth to Heaven is every true Believers Triumph over all the Powers of Darkness of this World so witnesseth the Spirit of God Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerours through him that loved us Rom. 8.37 Secondly Christ's Ascension to Heaven is sweet to the true Believer on the Account of the personal Appearance he makes there for all the Members of his Mystical Body That Christ is enter'd Heaven as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Fore-runner of his Members is expresly set down and affirm'd for the Comfort and Encouragement of all true Believers Whether the forerunner is for us entred even Jesus made an high Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech Heb. 6.20 For Christ is not entred into the Holy Places made with hands which are the figures of the true
which can never be overthrown Jo. 3.16 For God so loved the World that he gave his only Begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Everlasting Life In this was manifested the Love of God towards us because that God sent his only Begotten Son into the World that we might live through him 1 Jo. 4.9 Here 's also a clear Discovery what little Reason the poorest and weakest Believer hath to question or doubt of Christ's Love to him or her What! step in between thee and Hell and not love thee To take all thy Guilt and filth of sin upon himself And for the same to be made a Curse that thou poor undone sinner mightest be made the Righteousness of God in him and not love thee When the incensed Justice of God was up in Arms against thee and just ready to fall on thee for Christ his own Son to step in between thee and that fatal Stroak which had it fallen on thee would have compleated thy Misery and have put thee beyond the reach of all Possibility of ever being saved I say for Christ to step in between thee and that fatal Stroak and to suffer the Sword that would have killed thee to be lodg'd in his own Bowels was as strong and convincing an Argument that he lov'd thee as any can be made use of by God himself Never was there greater and more end aring Love in one Party towards another than the Love wherewith God the Father and Christ his Son lov'd the Elect Neither can God Angels or Men lay down stronger and more convincing Arguments to prove or confirm it so to be than God the Fathers Readiness and Willingness to Sacrifice his own and only Son whom he lov'd equally with himself and the Sons Willingness to lay down his Life and not only so but consenting to be made a Curse for the Elect. Oh! matchless and astonishing Love who ever knew or heard of the like except it self I am the good Shepherd the good Shepherd giveth his Life for the Sheep Jo. 10.11 Greater Love hath no Man than this that a Man lay down his Life for hiâ— Friend Jo. 15.13 But God commendeth his Love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us Hereby perceive we the Love of God because he laid down his Life for us c. 1 Jo. 3.16 And as the Just and Righteous Law of God did not spare the sinless Son of God when Arraign'd at his Bar as a Surety for sinners So neither did the Son of God flinch or shrink in the Contest till he had vanquisht and overcome the Condemning Power of the Law leaving it and all the other Enemies of his Elect Nail'd to the Cross having by his Death on the Cross put to death the Damnatory Sentence of God's Righteous Law against God's Elect and spoil'd all Principalities and Infernal Powers of that accusing Power they had by sin obtain'd against God's chosen Yea having rifled Hell it self with Death and the Grave those destroying and devouring Enemies of Mankind so as that nothing was left in the way to obstruct or hinder the Elects safe Arrival in Heavenly Glory And all this by the Virtue and Merit of that Satisfaction he gave to the Justice of his Father by obeying the Law both Actively and Passively in the Assumed Nature On this Account it is that there remains now no Condemnation in force against that Man or Woman which believes in the Son of God The Moral Law is indeed a Law or Rule of Holy Living to all Believers and as a Looking-glass to discover to Believers the Spoâ—s and Defects which abounds in their Hearts and Lives while in a state of Imperfection and to shew them the continual need they stand in of the Blood and Righteousness of Christ the Mediator till they come to the end of their Race But to condemn or sentence any true Believer in Jesus to Damnation or Eternal Death the Moral Law hath no Power There is therefore now no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus c. Rom. 8.1 Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 And can this be any other than sweet to true Believers especially to such as have lain so long in the Laws Prison till the Irons thereof have reached even to the very Soul Secondly The Death of Christ is most sweet and delightful to the true Believer in that in Christ's Death all the Sins and Iniquities of the Believer were Arraign'd and put to death so as the Believer shall never never be Arraign'd or Condemn'd for them either here or hereafter There were two things in sin by which the Elect of God were held captives First the Guilt of sin which lays them open to Condemnation and the Wrath to come From this the Active and Passive Obedience of Christ set them for ever free as hath been already observ'd Secondly The defiling Power of Indwelling sin this also is slain and put to death in the Death of Christ and by Virtue hereof it is that every Believer in Jesus is made to die to sin in Heart and Life through the powerful Efficiency of the Holy Ghost inwardly applying to the Soul of the Believer the Efficacy of the Mediator's Death For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh God sending his own Son in the Likeness of sinful Flesh and for sin condemned sin in the Flesh Rom. 8.3 For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Who his own self bare our sins in his own Body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2.24 Let this Caution be observ'd and improv'd by every true Believer viz. that not the Being of indwelling sin but its condemning and reigning Power are condem'd and put to death in the Death of Christ So as that that indwelling sin which yet remains in a justified Believer shall never either lay him open to Condemnation or to keep the Believer under its captivating Power as before Regeneration it did He will subdue our Iniquities and thou wilt cast all our sins into the depth of the Sea c. Mic. 7.18 For sin shall not have Dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6.14 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil 1 Jo. 3.8 He that is born of God doth not commit sin ver 9. Thirdly The Death of Christ is most sweet to a true Believer in that the Curse which sin put into bodily Death it is by Christ's Death taken away to every Believer the Curse due to sin was the very Sting of Death so witnesseth the Holy Ghost The Sting of death is sin c. 1 Cor. 15.56 This Christ the Surety of the Believer bore that the Curse in Death might be turn'd into a
own Performances Somewhat he must do in order to help and save himself but how or where to begin he finds himself at a loss Hence those Queries what shall we do Acts 2.37 Mark 10.17 Acts 16.30 which plainly shews that all Adams Children when awakened by the Terrors of God's Laws do seek for Life and Salvation in a way of Works this is further confirm'd by Rom. 10.3 For they being ignorant of God's Righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the Righteousness of God One while the Sinner resolves with himself he will amend his sinful Course and be for time to come a better Man He will say his Prayers he will confess and break off his sins he will forsake his vain Companions and sinful Pastime and the Church and serving God he resolves he will frequent and constantly attend He will now take on him a strict Profession a Church Communicant he must be to the Sacrament he goes and from that to other Duties such as Fasting and Almsdeeds and keeping up a strict Watch over himself in all his ways He is now not the same Man he was before he can with the Pharisee boast of his negative and positive Righteousness Luke 18.11.12 And now he thinks and hopes the work is done albeit he was never nearer Hell and eternal Ruin than by these acts of Morallity Negative and Possitive he hath brought himself He hath been all this while but scouring and making clean and bright the outside of the Cup and Platter not heeding or regarding the Filth and Nastiness which cleaves to the inside A change of State he is a Stranger to External Reformation he takes to be the Conversion which must fit him for Heaven tho' most certain it is that no Reformation but what flows from an effectual change of State will evidence or prove a Man to be a real Convert Such an External Reformation may qualifie a Man for Church Communion but never for Heaven And it is to be feared that there is but very little even of this visible Reformation in some Churches who seem at least in their own and other Injudicious Peoples Conceits to be far purer and holier than their Neghbour Churches who make not so much a Noise and Blunder as they themselves do There are some Churches so called who for want of Charity monopolize a pure Church State to themselves as if Christ had no true Gospel Church in this day besides themselves whose Preachers and Rulers are of so impetuous a Spirit as drives them to the very Precipice of Anathematizing all but themselves As if the Doctrin of God's Grace and the Form of a true Gospel-Church State were to be found no where but among them these are like violent Storms and Showers which will not hold long and indeed 't is pity they should All I shall further say of such is the Lord rebuke their furious and Bedlam-like Spirit and give them to see and in time to be convinced how far wide they are from what they fancy they have attain'd to viz. a Christ-like Spirit and a true Conformity to the Pattern of God's House a thing so much boasted of and gloried in and that without cause The Word of God assures us up and down that no Works or Duties which sinners are capable of performing can possibly give Ease or Peace to that Conscience which the Law of God set home by the Spirit of Bondage hath wounded Healing and Peace are to be found no where but under the shadow of Christ's Satisfaction there being nothing short of what satisfies Divine Justice for the violation of the Moral Law which can satisfie and quiet the Conscience of a wounded sinner Job 5.18 For he maketh sore and bindeth up he woundeth and his hands make whole Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest A third Storm wherewith the elect meets is the fiery Assaults and Temptations of the Devil They are call'd fiery from their sad and dreadful Effects in the Soul and Conscience of the poor distressed sinner they being to the Soul what Poyson and Fire are to the Body Ephes 6.16 Above all taking the shield of Faith whereby ye shall be able to quench all the fiery Darts of the wicked The Darts here intended are the Assaults and Temptations of the Devil which are injected or cast into the Soul suddenly and invisibly as Darts are cast or shot by an unseen Enemy which when they find Entrance they immediately inflame the Soul as poyson'd Darts or Arrows hardened in Fire Invenom or Poyson the Body These Temptations or satanical Injections are numberless and of various sorts sometimes to Presumption sometimes to Desparation sometimes to Atheism sometimes to Blasphemy against the Majesty of God sometimes to one Wickedness and sometimes to another Satan is a busie Enemy and a Restless Enemy always tempting and that all Men and to all manner of Folly and sin on which very Account he is by the Spirit of God stil'd in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Tempter who is always busie at his Trade piercing to know what is in Men that so he might accordingly suit his Baits to the Disposition and Temper of Adams Children whom he seeks to prey upon Yea so restless and unwearied is he at his Trade of throwing or injecting his fiery Darts into the Soul that he will not loose the time of Men's sleeping Satan in this case is like an Enemy that surprizes in the dead of the Night when Persons are bury'd in Sleep and Security And as in Nature no Alarm is so amazing and frightful as that which is given in the dead of the Night so as Experience teacheth no Temptation makes a sadder Hurricane in the Soul than the night Sallies which he makes on the Soul when the Person is buried in sleep Now in such Storms as these what can poor tempted Souls do were it not for the shadow of Christs Cleansing and Healing Virtue herein the Brazen Serpent in the Wilderness did eminently type out the Lord Jesus Christ his Virtue to heal and cleanse the Sting and Pollution given and occasion'd by the infernal Serpents stinging temptations No way possible for Help or Cure in this Case but flying by Faith and Prayer to the shadow of Christ's healing and cleansing Virtue It is on this very Account that the Grace of Faith is preferr'd above all the other Parts of the Christians spiritual Armor in that it looks and flies to Christ immediately for Help and Cure No sooner hath the Devil cast in his Soul affrightning Dart into the Soul of a True Believer but the Grace of Faith like an expert and experienc'd Soldier who whips up the Granado thrown in by the Enemy and throws it back on the Enemy again repels and throws back the fiery poyson'd Dart injected by Satan A fourth Storm wherewith the Elect soul meets is the Wrath of God seared
justified in the Spirit c. 1 Tim. 3.16 Let the Believer who either hears or reads this concerning Christ's being Raised from the Dead but seriously weigh and consider of how great Concern this Act of Gods releasing Christ is to secure and strengthen the Foundation of the Believers Comfort and Assurance and he will find that the oftener he chews this Cud by serious Meditation accompany'd with fervent Prayer to the Throne of Grace the sweeter this Fruit will be to his Taste How comes it to pass that some poor Tempted Believers do often Hear and Read of God's having Raised Christ his Son from the Dead and yet they hear and read it as if they themselves were no way concern'd in it 't is as a dry Chip to them they taste no sweetness in it The Reason hereof is they do not consider neither can they believe that God in Raising his Son from the Dead hath Actually declar'd from Heaven that he is now Actually reconcil'd to and at an Everlasting Peace with all Believers with the poorest and weakest as well as with the strongest Believer And therefore the sure and only way for a poor weak tempted Believer to relish and taste the Sweetness of this Fruit is to Act Faith on the Resurrection of Christ appropriating the Virtue and Merit thereof unto himself thus and hath God indeed Raised up his Son Jesus Christ from the Dead And that as he was the Surety and Representative of all the Elect and was God's Design in raising him to give a publick Testimony to that Satisfaction which he himself received at the Hands of Christ in the behalf of God's Elect. Why then most â—ertain it is none but Lyars against God can deny it that no sin of God's Elect remains unsatisfied for which had they not been the Just â—nd Righteous God would never have â—uffered their Surety to have so much as peep'd out of his Prison the Grave in which he that â—ver Blessed one lay confin'd until God's time of discharging him accorâ—ing to Promise was come What Reason then canst thou shew O my drooping disponding Soul â—â—hy thou shouldest fear an Arrest â—â—om God for those sins for which Christ thy Surety was already Arrested and Committed and from which also he was Actually Acquitted and Legally Discharged by that great God against whom thy sins were committed whereof his Glorious and Powerful Resurrection from the Dead is a full and convincing Proof See and consider how the Holy Ghost Argues in the behalf God's Elect. Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect It is God that Justifieih Who is he that Condemneth 〈◊〉 It is Christ that Died yea rather that is Risen again who is even aâ—â— the Right Hand of God who also maketh Intercession for us Rom. 8.33.34 The Interrogation or Question here put implies a strong Negâ—tion and the plain English or meaning of it is that in vain is it foâ— any Enemy of Gods Elect to briâ—â— before God any Bill of Indictmeâ—â— or Accusation for sin against anâ— of God's Elect. The Argument where by this is inforced is twofold Firsâ— Gods own Act already past it God that Justifieth he against whoâ—â— sin hath been committed and wâ—â—â— alone hath the Right and Power to forgive it He hath on full Satisfaction given to his Justice by the Surety of his Elect Pardoned the sins of all the Elect who are now virtually pardoned and justified in that Justification past on Christ their publick Head and Representative Secondly The Death Resurrection from the Dead and Intercession of Christ the Elect's Surety First His Death this was the conâ—mmating Act whereby he compleaâ—ed the Payment of our Debt for which he became bound to God for â—he Elect. Secondly His Resurrection from the â—ead which is God's Discharge from hat Obligation he lay under as the â—â—rety of the Elect. Thirdly His Work of Intercession â—â—t God's right Hand to which â—ace and Office he would never have â—â—â—n admitted had not the Passage â—ereto been clear'd up and prepar'd 〈◊〉 the Satisfaction given There can â—â—en be no Reason shewn why or â—â—erefore the weakest Believer should â—â—r being damn'd or sent to Hell 〈◊〉 his sins seeing his Redeemer and Surety is raised from the Grave And is Actually ascended from the lower pars of Gods Earth to sit at his right Hand in the highest Heavens to enter on the Glorious Work of Interceding with God his Father for him a poor shatter'd tempted Soul Object But my sins are so many and great and my Faith so very very weak that I am often assailed with fearful Doubtings and Questionings whether I be one of those Elect in whose behalf Christ received that Full and Actual Discharge from God the Father To this I Answer in the Particulars following First Suppose thy sins do fâ— Quantity and Quality not only equalize out out-do the crying Abominations of any now in Glory Nay not only so but I will add the Abominations of any nay a the Reprobates in Hell except tâ— unpardonable sin which many in thâ— place have committed I say suâ—pose thy sins were as many and great as the sins of those now meâ—tion'd yet if thou seriously consider the unconcieveable Worth and the infinitely incomprehensible Value of the price paid to God's offended Justice for the sins of the Elect There will appear no real or solid Ground to fear the Greatness of thy sins in case the numberless Numbers of the Elects sins were thy own sins personally and that there were a Thousand Millions of Elect Sinners more than there be Stars in the Firmament Yet the Shoulders of that Almighty Saviour who became Surety for Gods Elect would bear them all and that without any danger of sinking under their Weight Remember that place Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him c. To which let mâ— for thy Comfort and future Encouragement in believing add the Mercy of Jehovah which with the Merit of Christ's Satisfaction for sin is so every way Infinite and Incomprehensible that it swallows up and out-doeth all the Power that can be in sin to damn or ruin any Elect Sinner for whom Christ the Son of God Dyed and Rose again All the Breaches of God's Law are the Acts or Omissions of Finite Creatures But the Mercy of God in pardoning Sinners and the Merit of Christ his Obedience and Sacrifice to deserve and obtain their Pardon they are the Mercy and the Merits of an Infinite God And as soon might a little Wren or Sparrow Dive into the deepest part of the Sea and ascend up again to give an Account of its Depth as any created Being can be capable of sounding or Fathoming the investigable and bottomless Depth of God the Fathers pardoning Mercy and of Christs the Sons Merit to purchase the Elects Pardon Secondly And what though thy Faith be so weak so very very weak as thou complainest it is this need
two things in this place reserving the vindicating this Doctrin to a more seasonable Opportunity First I do affirm in the fear of the great God that none on Earth do more hate and loath Sin than those Persons who find in their Experience that God hath done them unspeakable Good by their Sins and herein I shall I doubt not be seconded by the Suffrage not only of all Orthodox Divines but of all serious and Experienced Christians Secondly I do affirm that it no more follows from hence that a true Believer will or can take Encouragement to commit or continue in the Practice of Sin than it follows that he will or can venture to drink down deadly Poyson because he is told that an Able and Skilful Physitian is by his Art and Skill able to Extract out of the rankest Poyson an Antidote to Expel Poyson or that a Believer should be willing to throw himself off the Top of a House which he cannot but expect will issue in breaking his Bones because he knows that such or such a Bonesetter is skilful at setting Bones England is come to a sad Pass when the People are grown so wise in their own Conceits that they think themselves able to instruct and teach their Teachers the Sense hereof endangers the most faithful and lively Reprovers for God in this formal and sleepy Age being struck dumb not well knowing either what to Preach or how to speak to their Auditory without snuffing and offending them If we press People to the necessary Duries of practical Holiness then we are accounted Legal Preachers Men who Preach up Moses and who are for being justified by Works If we Preach up Justification by the alone Râ—ghteousness of the Son of God freely imputed by God's Act of free and sovereign Grace without any thing of the Sinners own Qualifications joyn'd as Con-causes therewith Then we are accounted Antinomians we Preach Free Grace Free Grace and who sees not who have their Eyes open this to be a sad Prognostick of God's approaching Judgment on the Land God sometimes causeth the Tongue of his faithful Reprovers to cleave to the Roof of their Mouth that they shall not be able to reprove or warn a rebellious People who are to be plagued with the Scourge of God's Judgments as in the Case of the Prophet Ezekiel Ezek. 3.26 And I will make thy Tongue cleave to the Roof of thy Mouth that thou shalt be dumb and shalt not be to them a Reprover for they are a rebellious House The like Instance we have Recorded in the Prophet Amos. They hate him that reproveth in the Gate and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly Here was the Sin of that Day they would not bear or endure to be toucht by God's Reprovers And God takes such a Way and Method with them as to cause them to see and read their Sin in the Punishment which was to come upon them which was That when they stood most in need of a faithful Monitor or Reprover even then when the Rod of God was heavy upon them they should not have him read and compare Amos 5.10.13 With this agrees that of Paul to Timothy where he tells him That the time will come wherein Men will not endure sound Doctrin but after their own Lusts will they heap up unto themselves Teachers having itching Ears 2 Tim. 4.3 This day is this Scripture fulfilled in England For by woful Experience the true Ambassadors of Christ find that they can reprove no kind of Error in Religion but one or other is presently toucht even to a being rootedly prejudiced against the Minister I 'll hear this railing Preacher no more he Preaches against other Mens Religions and what hath he to do with the Papists with the Quakers with the Arminians Cannot he Preach the Gospel And so in like manner if the Preacher comes close to particular Faults as the Pride in Apparel in Professors Mens taking a Liberty now and then to be Drunk now and then to Game and to spend their precious Time in Ale-houses and Taverns chatting and prating away the time which should be spent at Home in the Family or in the Closet in working out their own Salvation with Fear and Trembling they cannot bear faithful and plain dealing I know saith the guilty Conscience he means me I like it not This is harsh Preaching I 'll hear it no more I like such and such better Such a Preacher he Preacheth Free Grace clearly and such a Minister he Preaches the Love of God sweetly When perhaps neither the Preacher so highly commended and cry'd up for a Non-such nor yet he that so commends him understands savingly or experimentally what the Grace of God means or how the same is made the Sinners It even amazes me to think how few of those Preachers who now pass current for Free Grace Preachers will be own'd by Christ at the great Day for right Gospel Preachers And how few of those who make so great a Noise in crying such up will be found what they seem to be viz. true and sound hearted Believers This is not design'd as a Stumbling-block or a Discouragement in the way of any weak Believer but rather for a seasonable Warning or Caution to empty Talkers who think highly of themselves to take heed they prove not mististaken in their Opinion of themselves Wherefore let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10.12 Sixthly In the darkest Night of Affliction and Temptation the sweet Smiles of Christ's Face will cheer and comfort the true Believer The Pillar of Cloud in Moses his time it was both Darkness to the Egyptians and Light to the People of God Exod. 14.19 20. The same Dispensation may be a Cross for Good to Gods Child and a dreadful Curse to a Reprobate The Knowledge and Belief hereof put the Church upon giving that seasonable Caveat to her boasting Enemy who in the time of God's chastizing her for Sin did not a little rejoyce at the Afflictions of the Church concluding that those Afflictions were the Forerunner of the Churches Destruction Rejoyce not against me O mine Enemies when I fall I shall arise when I sit in Darkness the Lord shall be a Light nuto me Mic. 7.8 Fatherly Chastisements and Fatherly Love do very well consist together so saith Christ who as he is God knows all things and who as he is Man found it in his own Experience that his Father the God of Love who loves him his Son as he loves himself yet when venting his dislike of and his Displeasure against the Sins of the Elect charg'd on Christ He handled him so sharply and severely that the Son of God found a Necessity of crying out in the Bitterness of his Soul My God! my God! why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 27.46 And yet God was still his God and his dearly loving Father for all that As many as I love saith Christ I rebuke and chasten c. Rev. 3.19
for sin Not that God is indeed Wrath with the Elect sinner as he is with the Reprobate who hath no share or part in his Sons Redemption But Satan and carnal Reason do represent God as a wrathful Enemy to the sinner this the poor sinner fully concludes to be so and from hence he feels a miserable Hurricane within himself as if God were indeed his Enemy and design'd to damn him for transgressing his Just and Righteous Law That the elect sinner as Adams Child is born Heir of the Curse Partaker of a Nature as polluted and vile as Hell it self can make it and likewise obnoxious to the Wrath threatned for the breach of the Law and that according to do and live sin and die is and must be granted But that he being Elect and chosen of God in Christ is under the Curse and in danger of being seiz'd by the Wrath of God is no less than Blasphemy to think or say and that for these Reasons following First Because of the Compact and Agreement between the Father and the Son concerning the Elect in Eternity By virtue of which Agreement the Elect are not only secur'd from the Curse of God's Law by Christ their Vademony and Surety being made a Curse for them according to Esa 53.5 Gal. 3.13 But they are also secur'd in Christ their Head and covenanting Representative of eternal Life according to 2 Cor. 5.21 6 Cor. 1.30 Secondly Because of the Plenary and full Payment by way of Purchase and Redemption which Christ the Elects Undertaker hath made to Gods Justice for them Concerning which I am not afraid to affirm that neither the strict Law of God nor yet his Justice can demand more by way of Satisfaction for the sins of the Elect than is to be found in that one Oblation which he offered to God when he through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without Spot to God c. Heb. 9.14 Heb. 10.14 Thirdly Because of the declared Satisfaction of God the Father with that his Sons Mediatorial Performance according to Esa 53.11.12 Mat. 3.17 Jo. 16.10 Fourthly Because it would be a charging God the Father with Injustice to hold or say that he looks that the same Debt should be twice paid First by Christ his Son whom he himself chose and anointed to this very Work of redeeming his Elect Captives And secondly by the Elect Personally themselves such a practise as this would be hiss'd at by graceless Moralists and shall Man be more Just than God Job 4.17 Fifthly Because it would be an everlasting Stain and Reflection on the Name and Honour of the Lord Jesus Christ as if he had engag'd in a work which he prov'd not able to accomplish viz. to redeem God's Elect and to secure them from the Curse of God in case the Elect be still under that Curse and Wrath. The Point then which I conclude upon is this viz. That God's Elect are either secur'd from the Curse of the Law and deliver'd from the Wrath of God or else there must be some defect in the Justice of God or in the Mediatorial Satisfaction of the Son of God the Elects Surety but there is there can be no Defect in the Justice of God nor yet in the Mediatorial Satisfaction of the Son of God the Elects Surety Therefore the Elect of God are secur'd from the Curse of the Law and deliver'd from the Wrath of God Rom. 8.23 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect it is God that justifieth Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us 1 Thes 1.10 Even Jesus who hath delivered us from the wrath to come From what hath been said it will necessarily follow that the Storm and Hurricane occasion'd by the fear of the Wrath of God in the Soul of an Elect sinner is rather from the sentence of the Law not rightly understood than from any actual Execution of the Curse and Wrath of God upon him for sin Whatever Thoughts or Apprehensions the Elect sinner hath concerning the Wrath of God which raiseth such a terrifying storm in the Conscience this is an undoubted Truth that nothing but flying to the Shadow of Christs Mediatorial Satisfaction can allay that storm and give the troubled Soul inward Comfort Job 33. Then he is gracious unto him and saith deliver him c. Heb. 6.18 Who have fled for refuge to the hope set before them c. A fifth storm wherewith the Elect sinner will frequently meet in the World is the scorching Heat of Tribulations and outward Persecutions of this our Lord himself hath had large Experience none more and of this he hath forewarn'd all his following Members who are to follow him in the Regeneration In the World ye shall have Tribulation c. Mat. 10.22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my Names sake c. 2 Tim. 3.12 Yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution This was the Path wherein the now Triumphing Martyrs follow'd the Captain of their Salvation who was made perfect through suffering Heb. 2.10 These kind of storms are very uneasie and frightful yet they must be gone thorow by those who follow the Lamb to the Kingdom of Heaven It is here as it is with those Merchants who covet to partake of the Riches in the Indies They must expect to meet not only with contrary Winds but with fearful storms and dreadful Hurricanes too before they can come to possess the desired Riches of that Country And of all storms the Hurricane is most frightful and dangerous the same being occasion'd by a meeting of all the four Winds together opposing each the other with all their strength When but one of the Winds blow tho' it blow not only fresh but boisterously yet if the Ship hath but Sea-room enough she will weather the Point yea albeit the Wind chop about from one point to another But when all the four Winds blow in their full strength together the Ship knows not which way to steer her course All she can do is to commit her self to the Mercy of the restless Sea which like a Gulph is ready with open Mouth to swallow her up When it comes to this the Mariners hope of escaping with their Lives is at a very low Ebb if any Hope at all be left them And surely did not the over-ruling Providence of Heaven watch over poor Mortals in such Hurricanes the great Deep must be their Tomb. As there are natural Storms which attend the Children of Adam threatning the Life and Comforts of their Body so there are spiritual Storms which as design'd and manag'd by the Devil strike at and threaten the very Life and Comfort of the Soul As the former of these so also the latter they admit of degrees some Souls as well as some Bodies they meet with and pass thorow far greater and sharper storms than others And as the common Care and